Minister of State for Development of Northeastern Region V K Singh told Lok Sabha three greenfield airports are considered or taken up in NE Region -- Pakyong (Sikkim), Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) and Chiethu (Nagaland).

Singh said out of this three, Airports Authority of India has already taken up the construction of Pakyong airport and the work is in progress and its is expected to be completed in December 2016.

"The AAI had completed the Master Planning of Itanagar airport and is in process of preparing the Detailed Project Report. The approval of Steering Committee is in the process.

"With respect to Chiethu airport, Nagaland government has been requested to find out an alternate site which is more flat and suitable for capital city airport. The state government has identified an alternative site, the feasibility study is to be carried out," he said during Question Hour.

The Minister said there are 12 non-operational airports in the region out of which there is proposal to develop and operationalise eight airports -- Along, Daparizo, Passighat, Tezu and Zero in Arunachal Pradesh, Tura in Meghalaya and Rupsi in Assam and Kailashahar in Tripura.